So, here’s the question: Should a long baseball career with the same team have any bearing on a player’s Hall of Fame credentials? I feel that it should, but I haven’t come up with a solid argument for it. I’d love to get some input on the matter.
As is currently stands, one player that had 10+ years with his original team changed teams during the off-season. That was Javy Lopez. There are seven other players that are currently in their 10th season with their original teams: Bobby Higginson of the Tigers, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera of the Yankees, Joe Randa and Mike Sweeney of the Royals, and Brad Radke of the Twins. Out of that group (including Lopez), there are two players that are already likely Hall of Famers: Jeter and Rivera. Posada and Sweeney have a chance.
Here’s the list of players that have completed at least 10 seasons with their original teams:
Barry Larkin, Reds 18
Edgar Martinez, Mariners 17
Craig Biggio, Astros 16
John Smoltz, Braves 15
Frank Thomas, White Sox 14
Jeff Bagwell, Astros 13
Bernie Williams, Yankees 13
Tim Salmon, Angels 12
Carlos Delgado, Blue Jays 11
Trevor Hoffman, Padres 11
Garrett Anderson, Angels 10
Chipper Jones, Braves 10
Mike Lieberthal, Phillies 10
Mike Matheny, Cardinals 10
A plausible Hall of Fame argument can be made for the top seven guys on the list, and out of the rest, Delgado, Hoffman, Anderson, and Jones all have a decent shot as well. But again, the question is, does the fact that these players have been with the same team for so long actually strengthen their case?
Part of the problem is that, at most, the individual player only deserves 50% of the credit for staying with their original team. It does speak a lot for them that they chose to stay put. Every player on that list has had an opportunity to leave, and they’ve chosen to stay, but it’s not as simple as all that. Their teams each decided to keep them, both by making offers and resigning them in contract years and refusing to trade them. On the other hand, all of these players had to make a consistent and significant contribution to their teams that caused the teams to want them to stick around.
I realize, at least I think I realize, that this is a very subjective matter. But consider Barry Larkin. Larkin carried the torch as the National League’s best shortstop after the Ozzie Smith era, and at this point no one has stepped up to bear that title. (I believe that guy will be Edgar Renteria, but he only has one All-Star start and one Gold Glove to date, and no one has been that guy year after year since Larkin gave it up in 1998, or so.) Now, Larkin was a perennial All-Star and Gold Glover for many years, he has World Series ring (1990), won the NL MVP in 1996, and was the highest paid player in baseball for a short time. I think he’s a marginal Hall of Fame case. His trouble comes from the fact that he split eras between a few great shortstops with Smith a Cal Ripken on one end, and Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, and Nomar Garciaparra on the other. I feel like he’ll get lost in the shuffle when his first year of eligibility roles around (presumably in 2009). When his time draws near, and when he fails to be elected on the first ballot, some writers and Reds fans will make a case for him, and when they do, will the fact that he played 19 seasons, all in Cincinnati, help their case, or will it be a non-factor?
Posted by at April 13, 2004 09:30 PMWhether or not it has bearing on them being inducted into the Hall of Fame, I really don't feel qualified to say, but I do think it says a lot about the person if they've made the concious effort to try and stay with the same team. I know they can't always control whether or not they stay(trades), but it appears to me that it is a lot more admirable to try and keep your family in one place rather than moving from town to town just for more money. I'm for showing loyalty and I might watch pro sports occasionally if I felt like the players had some loyalty but I don't think most of them do. It's rare to see a professional soccer player leave one team and go to another simply for money although David Becham did leave Manchester United to go play for Real Madrid and even though he was sold to them by MU DB certainly wouldn't have gone if he weren't ok with the deal.
Posted by: SonofThunder at April 14, 2004 05:48 PMI would really like to see the loyalty issue become part of the Hall of Fame credential list, though I reverse-echo some of the sentiments of the previous comment. I think that very often we fans don't see the administrative side of sports and if we did; we wouldn't be so critical of the players apparent money-grubbing ways. But I do like Edgar Martinez all the more because he has stayed, and stayed productive there, with the same team his entire career. He is a Seattle institution in his own right. I am especailly appreciative of the players that take less money to stay with one team. At the same time I have no capacity to think about what it would mean to turn down even $1,000,000 more per year, which oddly enough is less money when you're talking about someone else who is offered it. I would be tempted to deposit the check.
Posted by: mike aman at April 15, 2004 06:48 PM